


Don't You Dare Do That Again!

by mirelia853



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-15
Updated: 2017-05-15
Packaged: 2018-11-01 04:39:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10914513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mirelia853/pseuds/mirelia853
Summary: Nate Ryder is in trouble after his girlfriend heard the whole mission on the Archon’s ship through the comm link. Spoilers and is based on a writing prompt for Mass Effect Andromeda.





	Don't You Dare Do That Again!

**Author's Note:**

> Serenity is my Science Officer OC. Poor Suvi fell and broke her ankle almost as soon as the Pathfinder turned up and the job was given at last minute to Serenity Townsend. I love Suvi and she is in what I’ve written/plotted so far but not on board the Tempest. Based on a writing meme “Don’t you ever do that again!”  
> And yes, Serenity is named after a certain ship…

“Stimulating the cardiovascular core – zero activity.”

Serenity felt her blood seem to freeze in her veins. Biting her lip, she forced herself to keep her hands over the console, to try to ignore the twisting feeling in her gut.

“Stimulating the cardiovascular core – zero activity.” SAM repeated.

“ _No…_ ” Serenity whispered, fingernails dug into the palm of her hand. Then a gasp and a familiar voice – “That seems to have done the trick.” There he was, back and as with the same dry humour as ever.

“SAM, how long was the Pathfinder dead for?” Serenity needed to know.

“He was clinically dead for twenty-two seconds, Dr Townsend.”

_Twenty. Two. Seconds._

_Idiot._ Having listened to the communications, she knew why he’d done it but right now it felt like too much information. And as usual, he put his companions and the mission ahead of himself.

It had only been a few weeks since she and Nate had started seeing each other. And Serenity started keeping an eye on the comm link during missions not long after.

“Kallo, would you take over listening to the comm link please.” She felt a shake in her hand and tried not to let her personal feelings show. The pilot patched the comm through to his own link and she took a deep breath and hoped Nate returned to the ship safely - that was all she could do.

+=+=+

After a thorough check up from an irked Lexi, Nate Ryder stepped into the hallway. He knew he’d cocked up, that having his AI stop his own heart made a lot of people angry with him. But right then, it had been their only option. Abet a last ditch option. Rubbing his face, the exhaustion sinking in, Nate asked, “SAM where is Serenity right now?”.

“Dr Townsend is in Engineering, Pathfinder.”

Frowning, he walked towards Engineering. _Unusual place for her to be._

“Ryder, you going to join us for a game of poker tonight?” Gil asked as he walked in.

Nate grinned and shook his head. “Not tonight, Gil. Maybe another time, yeah?” The engineer raised an eyebrow as if not believing him. “By the way, you seen Serenity?”

Gil shook his head. “She’s stood watching the drive core. You know, it might have been an idea to keep your armour on, she’s pretty pissed off right now.”

Nate grinned ruefully. “I kind of expected it. Later, Gil.”

Walking into the drive core, he could tell by her stance she was furious with him. He knew when he came back onboard she’d was furious with him. Sat ramrod straight and not even glancing in his direction. After months of them flirting, it had come as a reality check. _What did you expect, Nate?_

“Hey. So someone told me you decided to add engineer to your list of achievements.” Ryder stepped in and let the door close as his pathetic witticism fell flat.

Watching her, she turned to look at him before looking back into the core again, shaking her head a little as she did so. “You just don’t get it, do you?”

Nate sensed it was too soon to touch her, although right now he wanted nothing more than to pull her into a hug. “So _tell me_.”

Serenity let out a sigh. “I had to listen while SAM killed you then brought you back. Twenty-two seconds you were dead for, Nate. And each of those seconds felt like they just would not stop!” Her voice grew louder, more strained. “I really, _really_ , thought you weren’t coming back. That was it, we truly and utterly _fucked_.”

Instinct took over and stepped the distance between them, pulling her into a hug. Serenity resisted at first but her hands came to rest on his back, head against his shoulder. “I’m sorry, I really am.”

He heard a sniffle and felt her start to cry. Kissing her hair, he rubbed her back. “Seren, I really didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“I know, I just… I needed to tell you. I think Kallo thought I was going to faint or something.” He chuckled as she wiped tears from her face.

Nate stroked his hand down her cheek, using his thumb to wipe a stray tear. “If it makes you feel any better, you were the first and last person I thought of when I came round.”

Eyes wide, Serenity asked, “Not Sara?”

“Sara too but… you’re here sharing this journey with me.” And that was when he saw it – the sweet smile that he often felt was only for him.

“Promise me one thing – don’t ever do that again.”

“I promise I won’t ask SAM to stop my heart.” Serenity would know every time he went out of that airlock on a mission, he was in danger of never coming back. It was a risk of the job. Nate would not promise something that was not in his power to give her.

“Good enough.” Smiling she gave him a kiss on the lips, both of them getting caught up in the moment. Breaking the kiss, he put his forehead against hers. “Assuming you’re not too busy, you want to join me in my quarters?”

He saw her smirk, “Assuming my social diary is free…” Nate slipped his hand into hers as he led her out of Engineering. Even if they just fell asleep together, that was fine by him. He slept much better with this woman around.

+=+=+


End file.
